


when you pick yourself up you get kicked to the dirt (trying to make it work but man these times are hard)

by bloodredcherries



Series: JB and Snickerdoodle [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2019-10-25 13:13:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17725862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodredcherries/pseuds/bloodredcherries
Summary: As the world goes to hell around them, the Cooper-Joneses learn how to become a (dysfunctional) family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story belongs in the JB and Snickerdoodle series, it is not needed to read those stories prior to reading this, but it might be helpful.

Jughead was -- finally -- stable, and, with that, FP allowed himself to breathe. It was safe to say that Riot Night had been one of the most frightening moments of his life to date, and, if this was the universe’s way of telling him to stop letting the boy be involved in the gang? He was more than willing to accept it. He didn’t care how angry that decision would make Jughead -- he was his father, and he was entitled to make decisions that the boy would absolutely loathe. He slumped down in the chair that was beside Jughead’s bed, and he pulled out his cell phone, intending to text Betty and tell her that the boy was going to be fine, and offer to beg Alice himself to let her out of the house past her curfew to sit at Jughead’s beside, if that was what she wanted. 

 

No one really texted FP. 

 

The boy did, of course, but he was currently in a medicated slumber, so he clearly wasn’t the reason for the  _ fifty _ texts that awaited him, and which were filling him with alarm. 

 

Alice texted him, but, he was pretty sure that she was still processing what had happened with the kid that wasn’t their kid, and he wasn’t expecting to hear from her. 

 

He cringed as he unlocked the device and began to read them, and his eyes strained to read the small print. He’d forgotten his glasses back home. He really hated to use them.

 

His phone vibrated, and he peered at the screen, surprised to see Alice’s name splashed on it. He supposed that she could have been calling to check up on the boy. Betty had insisted that she needed to go home and check on her mother, and, it stood to reason that she had kept Alice updated on Jughead’s condition. And talking to Alice was much easier than dealing with trying to read fifty text messages. 

 

“Alice?” He questioned, as he answered the phone. “What is it? Is everything alright?” 

 

He heard her sniffle. “No, I’m not sure,” she said, her voice sounding distant. “Can you come down here?”   
  
“To your house?” 

 

She sniffled again. “No, I’m in the emergency room,” she told him. “Elizabeth made me come in.”   
  


“What the hell are you doing there for?” 

 

“Hal, he’s the Black Hood. He strangled me, he wanted to kill me and Betty, but she saved us. She made me go to the ER after she got home from finding Jughead,” Alice explained, as FP felt his blood start to boil. “Anyways, I’m fine, but I need you to come here, if you’re not busy.” 

 

“Jughead is asleep,” he told her. “I’ll be right there, Alice, what is it?”

 

“I thought they were joking at first,” she rambled into his ear, as he dragged Toni into Jughead’s hospital room, and gave her directions with his eyes to stay put, before he stormed out of the ICU and down the hallway to the ER. “I mean, it sounded laughable, you know? I haven’t had sex with Hal in years. I guess all it took was the once.” 

 

“What are you talking about, Al?” 

 

“And I don’t expect you to want to have anything to do with it,” she said. FP felt like he was missing something. “I mean, I’ll take care of it. If it’s what you want.”

 

The ER seemed to be in more of a state of disarray than it normally was, and FP felt that he only had Alice’s rising voice to thank for his ability to locate her at all. There were no signs of any medical professionals there, whatsoever. 

 

“Mr. Jones, thank goodness you’re here,” Betty said, as he pushed back the curtains to reveal the bed that Alice was sat on, her phone still pressed to her ear. “I kept telling her that she was doing what she does best and jumping to conclusions, but, you know how my mom can get. How is Jughead doing?”   
  


“Sleeping,” he said. “But stable. Do you want to go see him and I’ll stay with your mom? Would that be alright with you, Alice?”

 

“You came,” she said. “I’m sorry that I took you from Jughead. Are you sure you want to stay with me?”

 

“Yeah, Al, he’s sleeping anyways. Can Betty go?” 

 

“I suppose,” Alice said. “Go ahead, Elizabeth. Just keep your phone on, and don’t you dare talk to any reporters.” 

 

Betty glanced between the two of them, and he couldn’t help notice that she blushed brightly as a result, and he opened his mouth to ask her, but she slipped out of the curtained cubicle before he could even form his lips to ask the question. 

 

“What’s with her?” 

 

“Oh, you know how teenagers can be,” Alice said, her tone rather blithe. “One positive pregnancy test and an awkward explanation later and suddenly she can’t look either of us in the eyes and resembles the shade of a tomato. As if she and Jughead aren’t defiling each other.” 

 

“You’re pregnant?” 

 

“So the blood test says,” she said. “I meant what I said on the phone, though. I will handle this, however you want it to be handled.” 

 

“Do we get to see it?” 

 

“Yes, I asked them to wait until I managed to track you down,” she admitted. “I didn’t know what your reaction would be but I wanted to ensure that you had the chance to be included, if that was what you wanted.” 

 

“Yeah, Allie, of course it’s what I want,” he said. “I don’t want you to do this on your own, or have a procedure you don’t want to have, just because you don’t think that I want to be a father again,” he told her, and he reached out and took her hand in his. “I’d love to raise the baby together, to be a family.” 

 

“You do?” Alice sounded completely exhausted. “Do you want to come up with me? It’s alright, there’s nothing wrong with me. I’ll be released after they check on the baby.” 

 

“Yeah, sure,” he agreed, and he climbed onto the hospital bed, and settled in beside her, his arm carefully around her shoulders. “I’m sorry ‘bout Hal, Alice,” he said. “I never liked him, but I didn’t think he’d ever be a killer.” 

 

“He’s not a very good one,” she said, and she glanced up at him.. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that it’s over.” 

 

“What the hell are we going to do?” FP asked. “I heard the trailer park is being burned down,” he sighed. “I don’t exactly think that your house is going to be any sort of relaxing environment for you or the kids. I was going to stay with Jughead tonight, but you probably need your rest. For the baby’s sake.”

 

“We can stay with him,” she whispered. “I don’t mind.” 

 

“You didn’t want to go to a hotel, or something?”

 

“He’s your son,” Alice said, and she leaned into him. “I don’t mind sleeping in a chair, or something. Jughead is important to me, too. I care a lot about him.” 

 

“Maybe it should be Betty’s decision,” he whispered. “She could stay with him, couldn’t she? I would be okay with that.” 

 

“Could we stay at the Five Seasons?” Her tone was hopeful. “I don’t mind paying.” 

 

“Aw, hell, Allie, why not? May as well spend the night somewhere nice.” He traced the bruises on her neck with his fingers. “A baby, huh?” 

 

“Kind of weird to think of, isn’t it?” 

 

“Just a bit,” he whispered. “You know that I would never ask you to do anything you didn’t want to do, right? You want to keep the baby, that’s fine with me. I will support you in that decision. But if you don’t want to be pregnant, you don’t have to be.” 

 

“I know,” she said. “Maybe this is our fresh start?”

 

He cocked a grin in her direction. “Yeah, Allie. I think so.” He carefully placed his hand against her middle. “I really do love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” She brushed her lips against his. “A shower would probably do us both some good,” she admitted. “Your jacket desperately needs a trip to the cleaners.” 

 

“Probably,” he agreed. The boy  _ had _ bled all over it. It could stand to be cleaned. Even he had standards. “What do they do in an ultrasound?” 

 

“You’ll see.”   
  


 

***

  
  


“You’re pretty proud of that ultrasound, aren’t you?” Alice asked FP, a hint of amusement in her tone, as he slipped the copy of the scan in his wallet, before he helped her down off the table. There hadn’t been much to see on the screen, but the baby’s heartbeat had been strong, and that had been enough to satisfy Alice, who had been delighted to see how happy seeing the baby (and hearing it) had made FP. “You can tell JB, if you want,” she offered. 

 

“You sure?” 

 

“I don’t see why not,” she said. “I mean, normally you wait until the mother-to-be is further along, but, I don’t mind her knowing. She’s your daughter.”

 

“She doesn’t think of herself that way,” he muttered. “Pretty sure the kid hates me.” 

 

“These things are going to take time,” Alice said. “I just wish...you’re going to have to take a blood test, you know? To prove that the baby is yours, and not Harold’s?” 

 

“I’ll do whatever it takes, Allie,” he said. “Think it’s stupid that the fucker tries to kill you but they’ll think it’s his kid just because you two were still technically married.” 

 

“I can still get a divorce,” she told him. “I just want it known that this baby isn’t his, that this baby was created out of love, not out of some sense of obligation.” She snuggled closer to him. “You know that I love you, right?”

“Yeah, Al,” he whispered, and she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. “I know you do. I love you, too.” 

 

She wrinkled her nose. “You really need to get that jacket cleaned,” she informed him. “Tomorrow, we should go buy you and Jughead some clothes to wear, or go by Sunnyside to see if we can get your things out of the trailer. I really think that we’re going to be forced to stay in my house, especially with a baby on the way, and poor Jughead needing to recover. I doubt secondhand smoke inhalation will help.” 

 

“What about the reporters?”

 

“That’s where you come in,” she said, and she grinned impishly at him. “My big, scary, Serpent King, boyfriend.” 

 

“You want me to scare ‘em off?” 

 

“I don’t think that’s too much to ask for,” she teased. She snuggled herself closer to him. “What a disaster,” she sighed. “I never wanted this to happen. I didn’t know that Hal was a serial killer.” 

 

“Of course not, Allie,” he assured her. “No one saw it coming.” 

 

“And I’m sorry about Jughead,” she whispered. “I didn’t want him to get hurt. What was he thinking?” 

 

“It’s safe to say that the boy wasn’t doing much thinking,” he said. “I’m thinking of making him take a step back from the gang. The both of them. They need to just be teenagers. I can’t keep dealing with feeling like the boy is going to give me a heart attack.”

 

Alice nodded in agreement. Jughead’s behavior was a bit ridiculous, even by the standards she ascribed to him, and the other teenagers. They were teenagers, of course, and thus bound to be foolish, but that did not mean she needed to approve. She did not approve in the slightest.

 

“I’ll back you up on it.”

 

“Thanks, babe.” 

 

“You don’t have to thank me,” she insisted. “We’re a family, now. I don’t mind being additional muscle if you need it.”

 

FP’s hand moved so that it was on her abdomen, and she leaned into his touch. It was clear to see that he was enamored by the baby, who was still so very little, but at least seemed healthy and hale, and she wanted to encourage that behavior, rather than discourage it. 

 

“We really should stop in and see Fangs,” FP said, as he stopped in front of a closed door. “If you want to, I mean. He’s amazingly enough, alive.”

 

“I should apologize, for what Hal did,” Alice said. “It’s his fault that that poor boy is laying in a hospital bed, trying to heal from a gunshot wound.” 

 

“What Hal did, Alice, is not your fault. It never was, and it never will be.” 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let them talk,” she drawled, and she gave him a kiss on the lips. “I don’t care what people think of me. Better to be thought of as a whore than a woman grieving her murderer of a husband.”

“He’s still asleep,” Betty said quietly, when her mother and Mr. Jones showed up in the doorway of Jughead’s hospital room, unable to look either of their respective parental figures in the eye. “He hasn’t woken up, at all.” 

 

“He’s been sedated,” Mr. Jones told her, and she managed to nod, glancing briefly in his direction before resuming her bedside vigil. She didn’t like to look at Jughead in such an injured state, but, it was preferable than the vivid reminders that were tumbling through her mind about how her boyfriend’s father was more of a man than her father was, especially in light of the fact that it appeared that her mother had meant every word of what she had assumed was just talk. “They told me he’d probably wake up some time tomorrow,” he continued. “He needs time to heal, it’s for the best.” 

 

“Are you going to stay with him?” 

 

“No, Betty,” Mr. Jones said. “I was thinking that you could, if you wanted to. Your mother and I, we’re going to stay at a hotel for the night. We’d be right down the street. You could call if you needed to.”   
  


“Not that we’re going to do anything at the hotel!” Her mother interjected. “I just...I’m very tired, Elizabeth.”

 

“It’s been a long day,” Betty agreed. It had been, and things just seemed to be getting longer. “Go ahead,” she said, her tone dismissive. “I’ll call if anything changes.” 

 

“You’re not even going to look at me?” Alice demanded, and Betty glanced up at her, sure her utter non-amusement was written all over her face, not that she had it in her to care. “And get that look off your face, Elizabeth Cooper.”

 

“Forgive me for needing some time to process the bombshell you dropped on my lap, Mother,” she said. “You can’t expect me to be over the moon about this. At least not right away,” she added.

 

“I--”

 

“Al, come on,” Mr. Jones said, his normally gruff tone having taken on a softer edge, and she watched (rather sullenly) him place his arm around her mother, who looked as if she was entirely perplexed when she was faced with physical affection that wasn’t from Betty herself. She felt somewhat guilty. “Betty’s had a rough night, I think we can all agree? Almost getting killed by her own father, finding out that her boyfriend had sent himself out like a lamb to slaughter, then, on top of that, finding out that she’s going to be a big sister? It’s got to be a lot for her.” 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think of it like that,” her mother said in reply, as she pursed her lips together. “I suppose I don’t expect you to ever be happy about this,” she continued. “I just won’t be disrespected because of it, Elizabeth, do I make myself clear?”

 

Betty decided to throw her mother a bone. “Did everything look okay? They said you were getting a scan, did it go okay?” She wasn’t entirely thrilled with the baby, but, whatever. It wasn’t up to her. If her mother and Mr. Jones were happy, she could adjust. At least he wasn’t a serial killer who had spent months stalking her. 

 

“Everything’s fine,” her mother said. “There wasn’t much to see, because I’m not very far along, but the baby’s heartbeat was very strong. They let us hear it.” 

 

“I got a copy of the scan, if you want to see it,” Mr. Jones offered. “Your mom’s right, there wasn’t much to see, but, I still thought it was cool.” 

 

“Yeah, all right,” she agreed. “You can show me.” 

 

It was weird that her mom was pregnant with Mr. Jones’ baby. She could admit that. She wasn’t going to not look at the ultrasound when she  _ knew _ that her mom wanted her to, when she knew that Alice was floundering and that she needed something -- anything -- to hold on to. Part of Betty thought she was lucky that it was a pregnancy and not something hideously dangerous that appealed to her mother’s obsessive side, not that she dared to tempt fate by admitting that out loud. Alice liked things to be a certain way, and any unrest to her carefully planned life tended to cause the older woman to rebel in manners that made Betty cringe, at best. At least a baby was something positive for her to focus on. 

 

For them all to focus on. 

 

Mr. Jones crossed the room to where she sat, and he pulled out his wallet, and revealed the copy of the scan, which was behind a picture of Jughead and Jellybean that was taken at what Betty recognized as the old drive-in, some years prior. She didn’t dare comment on it. Jellybean was a touchy subject for Jughead and his dad, and Betty knew it. 

 

“There it is,” he told her, as he pointed to a dot in the middle of the printout. “Your little sister or brother.”   
  


“That’s...amazing,” she settled on. Truthfully, all Betty could see was a lot of nothing, but, if calling the grainy image amazing pleased her mother, she would do it. “You and Mom should go relax,” she said. “Don’t worry about Jughead and me, we’ll be fine. I’ll let you know if he wakes up, or anything.”   
  
“The boy and I are going to have a  _ long _ talk when he wakes up,” FP told her, and he clapped her on the shoulder. “But, you’re right. Your mother needs to rest.” 

 

“You’ll call if you need me, right, Betty?” Alice interjected, as she crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. “Please call, honey. I don’t mind.” 

 

“I’ll be fine, Mom,” she said. “Don’t worry about me.” 

 

“You’re my daughter, Elizabeth,” Alice said. “I’ll always worry about you.”

  
  


***

  
  


“That went better than I expected it to,” Alice said honestly, as she stripped down to her bra and panties, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep, but knowing full well she was too keyed up to do so. “Earlier. With Elizabeth.” 

 

“I knew what you meant,” FP told her, his eyes soft, as he joined her on the bed, clad only in his boxers, the clothes that he’d worn in a heap in the corner of their room. “Did you see the looks those people downstairs gave us?”

 

“Let them talk,” she drawled, and she gave him a kiss on the lips. “I don’t care what people think of me. Better to be thought of as a whore than a woman grieving her murderer of a husband.” 

 

“You’re not a whore,” he murmured. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You’re having our baby, Al, you mean something to me. You always have, if I’m honest with myself.” 

 

“Hal always thought I was.”

 

“He can go fuck himself,” FP said. “You’re not, Allie, you never were.”

 

She let out a heavy sigh, and she inched closer to him, not entirely certain where the two of them stood. It was one thing for FP to be her friend, and to stand by her and their baby, and it was quite another for her to just assume that being pregnant with his child meant that he was going to start dating her, or anything remotely on any sort of level of seriousness. Sure, they had discussed living together, but that was more out of necessity, rather than out of any desire to be romantically entangled with someone like her. 

 

“What’s on your mind, Alice?” 

 

“It’s nothing,” she lied. “Just...thinking, I suppose.” 

 

“Don’t think about Hal tonight,” he said. “Tonight, it’s just you, me, and the little bit,” he told her, as he wrapped his arm around her. She glanced up at him. “The first night of the rest of our lives.” 

 

“You mean that?” 

 

“Yeah, I mean that.” His hand had found its way to her abdomen, and his fingers pressed (tenderly) down on her skin, and she moved her hand so she could cover his, feeling more at ease with FP than she’d felt in days. Weeks, even. “That’s my kid,” he said. “But, Al, even if it wasn’t my kid, I would love that baby as if it were my own.”

 

“That’s sweet of you,” she whispered. “You don’t have to worry about that, though. We hadn’t had a physical relationship, not in a long, long, time.” She sighed. “25 years of marriage and I was  _ never _ good enough for him.” 

 

“He never deserved you,” FP said. “Not when we were teenagers, and, certainly not now.” 

 

“Be that as it may,” she said. “I never thought that the man was a serial killer. I knew that we were in a loveless marriage, but I didn’t think he was killing people. How am I ever going to look Fred in the eye again?”   
  


“If you’re looking Fred in the eyes, you’re not scaring him enough,” FP said, and she pulled a face at him. “What? Everyone knows that you frighten him.”

 

“I do so with love,” she said. “If it wasn’t for me, nothing in this podunk town would ever be vaguely approaching satisfactory.” 

 

“I love you, Al,” he murmured, his voice so quiet that she barely heard. “I’m sorry for how this happened, but I am  _ not _ sorry about what happened. I’m not sorry about the baby, and I’m not sorry about being with you.” 

 

“And Midge...poor Midge,” she continued. “And Fangs is still in the hospital because of that horrible woman…”

 

“Hey, that’s not your fault either. You didn’t shoot him.”   
  


“Could have saved everyone a lot of trouble had I shot Hal, though. Almost did, after you were arrested. I thought he was a burglar.” 

 

He pressed his lips to her shoulder blade. “It’s alright, babe,” he said. “Can’t regret everything you’ve ever done in life. Though, I’m sure that I’d like to try. Pretty sure I’ve written the book on poor life choices. Hell, at least you tried. You tried to make sure that your kids were safe, you tried to make sure that things were okay for them, that you and Hal played the parts of a nuclear family that we never got...I never managed even half of that.” He sighed. “Now I’ve gotten you pregnant and I’m still some loser, that--”   
  


“You’re not a loser,” she insisted. “Why do you think that? I don’t think you’re a loser.” 

 

“I work at a diner because I was too proud to take the job Fred offered me when I got out of jail,” he muttered. “Pretty sure that’s a definition of a loser. How the hell are we going to raise a kid--”

 

“Fred will give you that job,” she told him. “I know that he will. As for your question on how we’re going to raise the baby, you don’t have to worry about money,” she continued. “You don’t have to work at all. My lawyer is ripping the Lodges to shreds for what they did to my paper,” she purred. “They’re lucky I’m not doing it literally to them, considering what they did to your son, my God…” 

 

“He needed a skin graft, Alice,” FP said. “Penny  _ literally _ skinned his tattoo off. I get that he seems to think that being in the gang is the be all, end all, of everything, but, it’s not. I won’t have him hurt like this again.” 

 

“What does Penny have against him, anyways?” She wondered. “I mean, I get that he skinned her, which, I have to say, FP, I do not particularly agree with as a method of punishment, but this vendetta she has against him just seems so  _ strange _ given that he’s a teenage boy, and she is a lawyer. She’s not one of his peers, where such dramatics would make sense.” 

“She’s got beef with Gladys,” he mumbled. “You know how it goes. She ran off with my daughter and left me and Jug to deal with her shit.”

 

“What do you mean, beef with Gladys?” Alice questioned. She ran her fingers through his hair. “What the hell did she do?”

 

“What didn’t she do?” FP asked. “We both know she was involved in some shady shit before she left. I knew it because I was her husband, and you knew it because you knew everything.” 

 

“Interesting,” she mused. “What a shame it would be to discover precisely what Gladys is up to in Toledo, and potentially get you your daughter back.” 

 

“I don’t deserve her. Jellybean. Never have and I never will. Hell, I probably don’t deserve this little one.” 

 

“You deserve Jellybean,” Alice insisted. “And you deserve this baby. Don’t sell yourself short because of people’s perceptions of you.” 

 

“Love you, Al,” he murmured. “I love you so fucking much.” 

 

  
  


  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking had never gotten him anywhere good, and he knew it, but what the hell could Alice really do to him when they were in equal states of undress, and fucking damn spooning in bed?

The thing about Alice, FP knew, was that Alice had never truly known love. Her mother had been known as the Southside Slut, and no one (not even Alice) had had any idea who her father was, and it had been known to all that Mrs. Smith considered Alice to have been a mistake. FP himself was no stranger to an unintended pregnancy (or three), but he knew better than to admit to said children that they had been so unexpected that he hadn’t wanted to have them. It wasn’t right to tell your kids those things. They were kids. Alice, however, had known how her mother had felt. It had deeply affected her.

 

Their son had probably loved her, while she was pregnant with him, even though FP didn’t like to think about their son, because thinking about Charles made him want to cry. He couldn’t blame Alice for what she’d done, though. She hadn’t been the one who had done those horrible things to him. It wasn’t right to blame her. 

 

Hal had coerced Alice into marrying him after she had returned from her ‘semester away’ thirty pounds lighter and with a renewed commitment to not speaking to FP, not that he’d put in much effort once he’d seen that ring on her finger. He had thought it was strange that they’d gotten married in high school, but, well, what did he know? He’d been a stupid asshole. 

 

The only people that had unconditionally loved Alice had been Betty and Polly, and, given that Polly was out living who even knew where on a farm or whatever because she hadn’t been able to stand the fact that Alice had opinions or had had a past or whatever her issue was with Alice at that given time? FP was dubious that her love was unconditional. Which was fine, lord knew he had issues with the boy, and with JB, but he still felt bad for Alice. Polly seemed content to enter and exit her life on whims, taking her grandchildren with her. He couldn’t abide for that. He  _ wouldn’t _ abide by that, not as long as he and Alice were together, and Alice was pregnant with their child. 

 

She needed support, not stress, and he was going to be damned if Polly stressed her out just because she could while she was both newly pregnant  _ and _ trying to process the utter destruction of the life she had known. 

 

Alice had fallen soundly asleep shortly after his declaration of love, and he had managed to sleep for a few hours, but he was too keyed up because of what happened with Jughead to really rest. Not to mention trying to process the fact that he and Alice were having a baby, which was fucking amazing to him, but also incredibly terrifying. He hadn’t bothered to tell the boy that he had filed for divorce from Gladys, and that his lawyer (an actual, real, lawyer, not Penny Peabody) had gotten him joint custody of the girl. There was no point. He knew that that paper was  _ just _ a formality, that Gladys would  _ never _ give up JB. 

 

It was just himself and Jughead that were worthless to her.

 

He didn’t feel that way when it came to Alice. Sure, he still felt worthless, but she’d never treated him as such. 

 

He dared to reach out his hand and touch her belly, which was still flat, but that he knew contained their child. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, and he hoped that he made her feel better. 

 

Safer.

 

More secure.

 

Alice shifted in his arms, and he cringed, but she smiled softly up at him, and snuggled closer. “Good morning,” she whispered. “How did you sleep?”   
  


“Terribly,” he admitted. “Couldn’t shut my mind off.”

 

“Because of the baby?” Her voice was small, and he wanted to go down to the lock up to punch out Hal Cooper for whatever the hell he’d done to even make Alice consider that being a possibility. 

 

“No, babe, not because of the baby,” he whispered. “That’s one of the most exciting things in my life right now.” He sighed. “Just thinking about how badly I’ve spent my life fucking up,” he admitted. “It’s not anything to do with you.” 

 

“You want to talk about it?”

 

Talking had never gotten him anywhere good, and he knew it, but what the hell could Alice really do to him when they were in equal states of undress, and fucking damn spooning in bed? 

 

“My divorce went through,” he mumbled. “Attorney McCoy got me everything I wanted.”

 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” 

 

“Like Gladys is going to listen to a piece of paper,” he muttered. “You know better than that, Al. Not to mention, Jellybean sure as fuck won’t want me to exercise my visitation rights. She’s made that fucking damn clear whenever I’ve tried to see her.”

 

“Jellybean is ten,” Alice said, her tone flat. “I don’t care how angry she is at you, she is ten years old, and will not be dictating whether or not she follows your custody order. Do you think we let ten year olds make their own decisions now? I admit, I can see why you’re confused, considering that we are letting the adult equal to a ten year old throw tantrums around town to get what he wants, hiding behind his wife the entire time, as if we can’t see through Hermione to see what imbecile is pulling the strings.” She cleared her throat. “My feelings about the Lodges aside, you are not letting your ten year old child tell you that she doesn’t want to see you. Of course she doesn’t want to see you. Lord knows what bullshit Gladys has been filling her head with, and it is the natural proclivity of ten year olds to learn they can be absolutely infuriating and disrespectful to every adult they encounter. She’s not a teenager who can make these decisions on her own using some form of reason, and she is not an infant that can’t be away from her mother, though if she was, that mangy mutt I’ve seen at the trailer park would be better suited to nurturing her.” 

 

“Al--”

 

“Don’t you “Al” me,” she said. “All you have to do is look at the idiocy Archibald displays to realize what happens when a child has no idea where their non-custodial parent is,” she seethed. “Now, admittedly, I don’t think that Forsythia would be quite so foolish, but my general point remains. You have custody, you should use it.” 

 

“Gladys could never afford to send her here,” he pointed out. “And her parents hate me, they wouldn’t give her the money.”

 

“Be that as it may,” Alice said. “You might not have the money, your ex might not have the money, and considering the child they raised I’m not sure that Gladys’s parents hating you is that great a loss. I, on the other hand, have more money than I know what to do with.” 

 

“You don’t mean that, Alice,” he said.

 

“Yes, I do. I bought a thousand dollar leather jacket to  _ seduce  _ you with,” she pointed out. FP felt his jaw drop. “God knows how much money we dropped on this room because I’m too scared to go home. I don’t mind paying for her to see you, or for us to see her,” she said. “She’s your daughter. I want you to be able to make up for the time you lost, and I want her to be able to know her baby sibling.”

 

“You don’t have to buy expensive things to seduce me,” he started off with. “Please don’t waste your money on me. You look hot in everything you wear.” He sighed. “You really don’t mind doing that? Paying for bus tickets and things like that? You’d ride the bus? You’re pregnant. Is that even safe for the baby?” 

 

“Don’t be foolish,” she said. “We wouldn’t be riding the bus. I’d spring for a flight.”

 

“And we really don’t let the kids dictate what we do?” 

 

“Of course not,” she said. “They’re children, FP. We have to mould them into individuals that are semi-befitting of polite society. They can decide non-consequential things, like what their favorite fruit is, or whether or not they wear jeans, not whether custody agreements should be honored or whether they should be allowed to put themselves in reckless danger, time and time again. I’m not entirely unreasonable. We see what happens when the children are allowed too much freedom, don’t we? Absolute anarchy.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Jughead put himself in danger, Elizabeth,” Alice exploded. “He doesn’t have a damned idea what he’s doing, and you know it! He knows it, you know it, and everyone in this damned town knows it. I am so tired of you undermining me. You and your damn sister.”

“Maybe we can stay here after all,” FP mused, and Alice glanced at the destruction in front of the trailer park, and then at him. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”   
  


“No. You are not staying here, in the rubble of a trailer park,” she said, her tone flat. “Do not be so ridiculous, FP Jones. Jughead needs a place to heal, a place where he is safe, and you cannot seriously think that this is anything vaguely resembling a safe place for him. For anyone!”

 

“I don’t want you to have to stay in that house, not if you don’t want to,” he told her. “I know that you’re willing to, Al, and that means the world to me, but you shouldn’t  _ have  _ to. Not when we have the trailer.”   
  


“I can’t avoid it forever,” she said. “It’s just a house, honey. I don’t mind us staying there. Plus, weren’t you saying that you wanted the kids  _ away _ from the influences of the gang, rather than encouraging them to continue to behave in manners that disappoint us? Surely a house on Elm Street is much more conducive to those goals.”

 

“I guess you’re right,” he said. “Probably has more than one bedroom, too.”

 

Alice raised an eyebrow. “Yes, there is more than one bedroom there,” she told him. “Why in god’s name wouldn’t there be? Do you really only have one bedroom in this trailer?” She deeply disapproved of this. “I thought that you had a  _ two _ bedroom trailer.”   
  


“Well, you know, when the boy left, the pool table moved in,” he said. “Not that I expect that to continue at your house,” he added. “It just made sense at the time.” 

 

“You replaced your child’s bedroom with a poolroom?” Alice questioned, her eyes wide. “Do you mind if I ask you what you were thinking?” 

 

“You knew that we only had one room, Al,” he said. “I told you that Jughead and I were sleeping on the pull out so that Betty could have the bed.”

 

“I thought that was your way of trying to keep me from having another grandchild at an improperly young age, not because you literally only have one bed,” she exclaimed. She crossed her arms. “This is not an acceptable way to live,” she declared. “I don’t care if the pool table makes its way to my house, but you are not switching out nights on the bed with Jughead, and no one is having their  _ bedroom _ replaced with a one table pool hall.”

 

“I was  _ drunk _ when I did it.” 

 

“I figured as much,” she said, her eyes filled with non-amusement. “I understand that you are used to living a certain way, but this is not acceptable.”

 

“I’m trying to change, Alice,” he said. “I just...you know that I don’t fit in in your world. I never did, even when I tried hard to.” 

 

“I don’t care what people will think,” she said, her voice soft. “I love you, and you love me, and that’s all that matters. If anyone has a problem with that, they can say it to my face.” She brushed her lips against his, and she felt him wrap his arms around her. “Now, come on. Let’s get you out of these clothes, and pack up your stuff, and Jughead’s. I’ll help you.”

 

“Is that safe? With the baby, and all?”   
  


“Well I am certainly not moving your pool table. Other than that, it should be fine.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “It’s sweet how you worry,” she said. “I feel very blessed. Our son or daughter is so lucky.” 

 

“What do you think we’re having?” 

 

“I don’t know,” she said. “Honestly, I’m so excited to be having a baby together, that I don’t really care. So long as it’s healthy.” 

 

“And you think it is, so far?” 

 

“Yeah, I think so.”   
  


FP grinned at her. “Cool, babe.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?” Betty demanded. “Moving Jughead and FP in with us is all well and good, Mom, but why do you and FP think that we should take a step back from the Serpents? Need I remind you that you were a Serpent? That he is the Serpent King? This is our heritage, Mom, and --”   
  


“Oh, please,” Toni interrupted, and Alice looked at her in confusion. “I’m the only one in this room that’s a Serpent by blood, and everyone knows that, given that Jughead decided that he would use my family’s personal stories for an article in the paper, without even asking permission from me, or my Grandfather about it. Your mother might have been in the Serpents, and FP might be our King, but they are not members of the Uktena. That’s me. Me. If your mother and FP think that you two should be safe and uninvolved, maybe you should be grateful. That must be nice, having parents that care. I wouldn’t know.”

 

“She’s being ridiculous! Jughead knew what he was doing, and--”   
  


“Jughead put himself in danger, Elizabeth,” Alice exploded. “He doesn’t have a damned idea what he’s doing, and you know it! He knows it, you know it, and everyone in this damned town knows it. I am so  _ tired _ of you undermining me. You and your damn sister.” 

 

“Oh, so now Polly leaving is my fault?” Betty asked. “You were the one who forced her out because you wouldn’t make Chic leave, Mom, I wanted her to stay. She felt unsafe in her own home because you decided that Chic was more important than protecting Polly and the twins.”

 

“Shut up, Elizabeth.” 

 

“Why? It’s the truth.”

 

“I thought he was my son, and you know it,” she hissed, as she crossed the room to her. “I made a mistake, and I know that I did. Did it ever occur to you that  _ you _ were the one that found him in the first place? I just wanted to get a chance to know him, and maybe have his father know him, and I didn’t know that he wasn’t the baby that I barely even got to hold, okay? I’m not perfect, Elizabeth. I’m allowed to make errors.” 

 

“So you’re allowed to make errors, but Polly isn’t? I’m not?”

 

“Betty, don’t you think you’re being a little hard on her?” Toni asked. 

 

“I just don’t understand  _ why _ she expects Jughead and me to listen to her, when all she does is prove to me that we  _ shouldn’t _ be listening to her.”   
  


“You have no idea what you’re talking about young lady. I have half a mind to send you home. Jughead has more than enough people that can sit vigil with him. I have had it with your attitude. And, for what it’s worth, you  _ were _ the one that helped Polly make her way to the farm, behind my back. So, yes, I  _ do  _ blame you. If you hadn’t done that, she would still be here, and I would have half a damn chance of getting to know my grandchildren. Instead, because you decided that she was better off with her own devices, she has officially taken leave of her senses, and now is a proud cult member. You know that your sister has issues, Betty, that’s not a secret. Those didn’t go away just because she got pregnant and popped out two children with her own cousin.” 

 

“You’re having a baby with my boyfriend’s dad.”    
  


“That’s it,” she said. “I am bringing you home, right now. And you will be thinking about your behaviors for a  _ very _ long time.” 

 

“You’re grounding me?”   
  


“Yes, Elizabeth, I am. Enjoy being grounded.” 

  
  


***

  
  


“What’s with the kid?” FP asked, once he had arrived home from the hospital to find that Alice had unpacked everything that he had brought over from the trailer and was sitting in the middle of a freshly made bed, looking thoroughly unamused. A hardcover book sat beside her on the folded comforter. “Toni told me you two got into a fight.” 

 

“She...she brought up Chic, and how I thought he was Charles, and I just...when I think of what happened to Charles, I get so  _ angry _ and so sad, and I just, I snapped, I guess.”

 

“Hey, Alice, it’s okay,” he whispered, and he joined her on the bed, kicking off his boots as an afterthought. “You want me to talk to her?” That was what parents did, right? They talked to their kids, or, in this case, their girlfriend’s daughter, and explained why they were being punished? He didn’t really know. FP loved Alice, and he wanted to do right by his kids, and by hers, not to mention the baby, but he had to admit that he wrote the book on poor parenting. “I’ll talk to her, if you want,” he insisted. “Explain to her?”   
  
“What is there to explain?” Alice asked, her tone exhausted. “FP, I don’t have to explain myself to her. I did what I had to do, I have  _ always _ done what I have to do to survive. I can’t explain that to her, because she won’t understand. How could she understand? She’s not like us. Am I supposed to tell her that I had to marry her father so he would pay off the Sisters of Quiet Mercy? Because my mother wouldn’t let me come home? I can’t do that to her. She’s a child. I would rather her hate me.” 

 

“Alice, listen to me,” he said. “Betty doesn’t hate you.”

 

“She should,” she whispered. “How else should she react to this entire mess?”

 

“She’s probably overwhelmed, like you are, and like I am,” he insisted. “It’s been a long year, for everyone. She probably needs to lash out at you because she knows that you’re safe. You’re still going to be here if she pushes you away.” 

 

She sniffled. “You promise?” 

 

“Yeah, of course I do,” he said. “Why don’t you and me take a nap, or something?”

 

“We should go back to the hospital, to see Jughead.”   
  
“No, babe, we need to rest,” he corrected. “The boy will be fine, you need to rest, for the baby’s sake.”

 

“You’ll stay? I don’t think I can sleep in here alone.” 

 

“Yeah, Allie, of course, I’ll stay,” he told her, and he tucked her hair behind her ears. “I love you, Allie. I could spend the rest of my life being with you, you know?”

 

“I could spend the rest of my life with you,” she murmured. “Can we change into something more comfortable?”

 

“Yeah, babe. Whatever you want.” 

  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How the hell am I going to support your mother, and our baby, on that? I never wanted this for your mother. I wanted her to take her escape, even if I didn’t exactly agree with her marrying your douchebag of a dad when we were still in high school but she never listened to me anyways. She always had a mind of her own. Still does.”

“I’m sorry,” Betty said, from her position in the doorway to Alice’s bedroom, as she tried to rationalize with herself that it was perfectly natural for her mother and FP to be in the same bed together, and, rather mercifully, clothed. “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I just wanted to apologize to my mom.” 

 

Alice was soundly asleep, she noticed, tucked up against FP, a blanket tugged up over both of them. 

 

“It’s alright, Betty,” he said. “Nothing going on for you to interrupt. She’s just sleeping.”

 

“Is she okay?” 

 

In truth, Betty was fairly embarrassed about her earlier behavior. She hoped that Alice could find it in her to forgive her. She watched as FP ghosted his hand down her mom’s side. 

 

“She’s okay,” he confirmed. “Just having a rough afternoon.”

 

“Because of me?”

 

“Not just because of you,” he said. “Look, Betty. You shouldn’t have said what you said. It was out of line. I get why you’re upset, but your mother is hurting, too. She’s not just hurting, though. She’s pregnant, and she doesn’t need the extra stress she’s going through. Especially given her age.”

 

“Is it really that big a deal?” Betty asked. She was starting to feel more guilty than she had before, which was a truly impressive feat. “I mean, I know that she’s older than she was when she was pregnant with Polly and me, but…it’s really that big a deal?”   
  


“Yes, it’s really that big a deal,” he said. “You don’t think that your mother  _ worries _ about you? You don’t think that she’s justified in not wanting you and Jughead to involve yourself in reckless bullshit because the two of you are involved in a gang that  _ neither _ of us wanted you to be in in the first place? Your mother built a life on this side of town and stuck it out with your father because she thought the two of you would have a better life on Elm Street than on the other side of the river, and you just don’t get that at all, do you? It was really hard for your mother to get out, and stay out. I could never do it. God knows I tried. I tried so damn hard and it was never enough. Even when Fred and I owned the company together I still wasn’t looked at like I was a Northsider. The Serpents are a gang, Betty. I get that they might have an appeal to you and my boy, but you don’t know the risks. Your mother and I get to make decisions that the two of you will absolutely hate because we’re the damn parents. It’s our job to keep you safe. Whether you want us to or not.” 

 

“I--”

 

“I wasn’t finished,” he said. “I don’t understand where this sudden attitude of yours came from, but I don’t like it. I won’t be disrespected just because you don’t like that your mother and I are having a baby together, and I won’t sit here and let you disrespect her, either. I get that it will be weird, but that doesn’t give you, and it won’t give Jughead, any damn right to castigate her because of what? She stepped out on your father with me? You  _ had _ to know that they weren’t in love anymore, if they damn ever had been.” 

 

“I knew that they weren’t in love anymore,” she allowed. “I just didn’t think that she  _ meant _ it when she told him that she stepped out on him with you, and that you were a ‘real man’.” 

 

Betty was sure that her face was as red as a fire engine, and she concentrated on not looking FP in the eyes, unsure that she wanted to see his reaction. It wasn’t like she was unaware that he was an attractive man -- and that her mother thought that he was attractive -- it was just the thought of the fact that she and Jughead and her mother and FP Jones had...consummated their relationships on the  _ same _ bed that was frankly horrifying her.

 

“And now you’re having a baby together,” she rambled. “And that’s great. If you and Mom are happy, I am happy for the two of you.” 

 

“You mean that?” 

 

“Of course I do,” she said. “She’s my mom, and you’re Jughead’s dad. I just want both of you to be happy, even if things are a little strange at first.” She sighed. “I guess what you said about the Serpents makes sense, too.” It hurt to admit, but, maybe there was some truth to the concept. “Are you sure that it was because of the Serpents that Jughead got hurt? It wasn’t because of Mr. Lodge?”   
  


“It doesn’t matter why he got hurt,” FP said, his tone gruff. “The point is that he  _ could _ have  _ died _ and I don’t want either of you to get  _ killed _ when you have  _ every _ opportunity not to get hurt. I never had any of the chances that you, or Jughead, or any of your friends had. I don’t think you understand that. I would have done  _ anything _ to have the opportunities that you have. Now look at me. I’m a damn soda jerk.” 

 

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Betty insisted. 

 

“How the hell am I going to support your mother, and our baby, on that? I never wanted this for your mother. I  _ wanted _ her to take her escape, even if I didn’t exactly agree with her marrying your douchebag of a dad when we were  _ still in high school _ but she never listened to me anyways. She always had a mind of her own. Still does.”

 

“Couldn’t you go back to working with Mr. Andrews?”

 

“He offered that to me,” he admitted. “When I got out of the clink. I just...I couldn’t take his charity.” 

 

“Isn’t that better than working for Mr. Lodge, though?” Betty pointed out. “It wouldn’t be charity, you would be taking advantage of an offer that would give you the best chance of supporting Mom, and the baby. You’d be doing it for her. For them.”

 

“I guess I could talk to Fred,” he said, his tone contemplative. “See what he says. For the baby’s sake.” 

 

“You’re really happy about the baby, aren’t you?” Betty realized. 

 

Whenever FP had made mention of the little one that was on the way, she had noticed that his tone had gotten impossibly soft, as if he couldn’t believe that there was a baby on the way to begin with, and as if that baby who was on the way was the most precious thing that he knew. It was a side of her boyfriend’s dad that she hadn’t seen in years, not since she and Jughead were little and she had been introduced to baby Jellybean, whom FP had delightedly doted on, and brought to school for everyone to meet. 

 

“It’s our kid,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

“You love her, don’t you? My mom.”   
  
“Always have,” he whispered. “Always will.” 

 

“I still think it’s kind of strange,” she admitted. “But, I’ll try to get used to it.”    
  


“That’s really all your mother and I are asking for,” FP said. “You do need to apologize to her, though,” he added. “When she wakes up.”

 

“I will.”

  
  
  


***

  
  


“Do I  _ have _ to be a big sister?” Jellybean questioned through the phone, her tone sounding equal parts hurt and confused, and FP thought that his heart might break. “I just don’t get it, Dad. Why does there have to be a baby?”

 

“Because, JB,” he said. “Alice and I love each other very much, and we’ve decided to have a baby together.” 

 

“I thought that you wanted to see me,” she whined. “Mom said that I have to go, and now I hear that you just replaced me? That’s not fair.” 

 

“Jellybelly, I didn’t replace you,” he insisted. “You’re never going to be replaced, I promise. We’re just...growing our family,” he settled on, as he reached out to squeeze Alice’s hand for support. “I’m real excited for you to come see us this summer,” he added. “I’ve missed you so much.”

 

It had been FP’s decision to wait until after Alice had had a proper doctor’s appointment to check on her and the baby before telling Jellybean about her new role as future-big-sister. He had already anticipated that the conversation was going to be awkward, and, well, he didn’t want to have had one awkward conversation on the subject (and have it go badly) and then have to repeat the awkward conversation with the news that there was no baby, and no chance for Jellybean to be a big sister. The appointment had gone well, however (they had gotten to see the baby again, and hear his or her heartbeat, and FP had gotten another ultrasound photograph to put on display), and he had mustered up all of his resolved, pushed past his nerves, and called his daughter. 

 

“Are you still going to want to see me when the baby is born?” Jellybean questioned. “I mean, I get it if you won’t.”

 

“Of course I’m going to want to see you,” he said. “You’re my daughter, JB. I know that we haven’t seen each other in awhile, but, you’re my kid. I just wish that I could see you more, you know?” 

 

“Yeah,” she muttered. “Sometimes I wish that too.” 

 

“You do?” FP had to admit he was surprised. Who would miss their alcoholic father who had driven them away in the first place? “Why? Is something the matter?” 

 

“Don’t worry about it, Dad,” she said. “Everything’s fine. How’s Jughead? Mom told me that he was in the hospital. Is he okay?”

 

“He’s gonna be fine, kiddo,” he assured her. “He’s doing okay, he’s at school now.” 

 

“School?” Jellybean questioned. “Why? Wasn’t he hurt? Badly?”

 

“Your mother shouldn’t have told you that,” FP mumbled. “Don’t worry about your brother, JB. He’s gonna be okay. You’ll see him in a couple weeks, alright?” 

 

“Okay, Dad,” she sighed. “You promise?” 

 

“Yeah, sweetheart, I promise.” 

 

“Okay,” she said. “I have to go. Mom should be home soon.” 

 

“You really have to?” 

 

“I don’t want her to get mad,” she said. “She’s really pissed off you get to see me now.” 

 

“Jellybean, I--”   
  


She cut him off. “It’s fine, Dad. I know how she gets. Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell her about the baby, or anything.”

 

“Don’t have to keep secrets on my account, Jellybean,” he insisted. “I can handle her.” 

 

“Dad, I gotta go.” 

 

“All right, kiddo,” he settled on. It wasn’t really all right, but what could he do? He couldn’t exactly change Gladys. “I love you.”

 

“Love you, too, Dad.” He heard a dial tone in his ear, and only then did he hang up the phone. 

 

“You didn’t have to lie to her,” Alice said, as she tugged him by the hand and padded over to their new couch, and he watched her make herself comfortable, before he sat down beside her. “About why we’re having a baby.” 

 

“I wasn’t lying,” he insisted. “I do love you, and I am so excited to grow our family together. Who cares about the semantics of how the baby came to be? I sure as hell don’t. And Jellybean doesn’t need to know that stuff. She’s a kid, Allie, she’s only ten.”

 

“I don’t know how we’ll be able to hide it from her,” she whispered. “The trial is fairly public, not to mention what you had to do to prove that the baby is ours.” 

 

He pressed his hand to her belly (not that there was much of a belly yet) and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We can explain it to her when she gets here, if she asks,” he said. “I don’t see why we can’t come up with a more sanitized version of the truth, you know? As far as I’m concerned, I’d take a damn million blood tests if it meant that Cooper bastard could never lay a hand on our kid. It already pisses me off that he could possibly have any control over your girls.” 

 

“I don’t think that he’s going to be allowed to see them,” she whispered, as she curled into him. “Not that I have heard anything from Polly. I don’t expect to, if I’m honest with you.” 

 

“I thought you spoke to her,” he murmured. 

 

“She wasn’t overly receptive to the fact that we’re having a baby together,” Alice sighed, and he watched her worry her lip. “Apparently she still blames you for what happened to that Blossom boy.” He watched her roll her eyes. “Perhaps telling her that your involvement in that debacle only increased your attractiveness didn’t help her acceptance of us.” 

 

FP’s eyes widened. “You  _ told _ her that?”

 

“Yes! How dare she think that I care one iota about your unfortunate involvement in that hideous boy’s death? What possesses her to even think that I have any remorse for him dying? After he got her pregnant and wanted to convince her to join a cult? And she just...goes along with his whims? And gets mad at me for wanting her to make the right choices? I don’t care if they are my grandchildren,” she told him. “Dagwood and Juniper are very stupid names, and joining a cult because your dead boyfriend suggested it is a terrible life choice.” She shook her head. “And all this bullshit she was spewing about forgiving Harold! So she can forgive him for wanting to murder me, and her sister, but she wants to crucify you for what? Harboring a dead body so you could try to protect your son? I won’t stand for it.”   
  


“She’s your daughter, Allie,” he whispered. “I never meant for that to happen. Ever.” 

 

“It’s not your fault,” she said. “Polly just has issues, and I am a perpetually easy target. I don’t want her around the baby if she’s going to be bad mouthing you. You’re the little one’s father. I won’t have her spewing hatred about you just because she’s mad that I don’t approve of her life choices.” She smiled up at him. “I’d pick you every day of the week,” she whispered. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. You saved me, Jonesy.” 

 

“I love you, Alice.” He leaned in and gave her a kiss. “I can’t wait to meet him, or her.” 

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sure you can come, if you want,” he offered. “Not that I want you doing construction or anything,” he added, as his fingers made circles on her skin. “But you could help Fred with his campaign, or something.”

“Morning, babe,” FP whispered in Alice’s ear, and she snuggled closer to him, trying with all her night to stay asleep. FP was nice and warm, and she wanted to stay in bed with him forever. “We gotta get up.”

 

“Why?” Alice was frankly exhausted. The child was barely gestating in her and it was zapping all of her energy, when it wasn’t making her bloat out to the size of a house, or making every single food she’d let touch her lips seem unappealing. “Did we make plans that I forgot about?”

 

He pressed a kiss to her cheek, and she opened her eyes, not wanting to make any sudden movements. At the moment she was feeling fine, but she didn’t want to jinx anything. Throwing up on FP was not very romantic. 

 

“Gotta go to work,” he said. “First day.”

 

Alice bit back a groan at his words, and she reminded herself that it was important for FP -- for their family -- for FP to be back at work with Fred and making a living to provide for them, in addition to keeping himself away from the Lodges and the trouble that they could provide for them. In spite of the fact that Alice had more than enough money so that they could live comfortably without either of them working, she knew that FP needed to work, to feel like he was contributing to their family. She was just selfish for wanting him with her.

 

“You okay?” He whispered, his hand settled on her abdomen, and she forced herself to nod. There wasn’t anything wrong with her, just the fact that she selfishly wanted FP to stay at home with her. “Al, if you’re not, I can…”

 

“It’s fine,” she said, smiling bravely. “I’m okay. We’re...okay. I’m just going to find something to do while you’re at work,” she said. 

 

“I’m sure you can come, if you want,” he offered. “Not that I want you doing construction or anything,” he added, as his fingers made circles on her skin. “But you could help Fred with his campaign, or something.” 

 

Alice weighed the pros and cons of this in her mind -- she really did not want to stay in the house by herself, and having Elizabeth and Jughead spend the day home from school because she was scared was ludicrous, and she sensed that helping Fred with his mayoral campaign would be an exercise in fruitlessness, but the thought of being with FP and pissing off Hiram and Hermione did put a smile on her face -- and she nodded. 

 

“Yeah, I’ll come with you,” she said, her lips meeting his in a delicious kiss. “Come on, I’ll make us something to eat before your first day.” 

 

“You don’t have to,” he insisted. “I can make my own breakfast,” he said. “Let me cook for you, for us. You can take a shower and get ready to go, while I make sure that everything else is taken care of.” 

 

“Well, all right,” Alice said. A shower did sound appealing. “Will you make bacon? I think I would like some.” 

 

“Of course, babe,” he whispered. “Whatever you feel like eating.”

 

“Our child seems to like what you cook,” she assured him, her hand covering his. She squeezed it lightly. “It just doesn’t seem to be a big fan of vegetables.” 

 

“What about potatoes?” 

 

“Home fries? I could do home fries.” 

 

Alice slipped out of bed and out of her pajamas, which were really a pair of sinfully short terry cloth shorts and a tank top that she had refused to allow Elizabeth to wear after a shopping trip she had taken with Veronica and Cheryl. She stood by her belief that the clothes were inappropriate. FP had taken one look at her the previous evening and decided that a wholesome bedtime routine should consist of him going down on her, rather than her plans of laying in bed and peacefully reading a book. The book had fallen on the floor in Alice’s haste to capture the moment -- she certainly wasn’t going to turn his ministrations down -- and she picked it up and placed it on her nightstand, before neatly folding her pajamas and setting them on her dresser. 

 

“You look hot, babe,” FP offered from his position on the bed. “So fuckin’ sexy.”

 

“You really think so?” Alice felt a bit like an elephant, so FP’s words were soothing to her ego. “I’d say you could join me, but, we’d never get out of here.” 

 

He chuckled. “Damn straight we’d never get out of here,” he agreed. He climbed out of bed to stand beside her. “And, yeah, Al, you look amazing. Taste pretty good too.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You turn me on any damn day of the week, Alice.” He knelt down and pressed his lips to her midsection. “Morning, little one.”

  
  
  


***

  
  
  


“What are the two of you doing here?” Alice demanded, her tone one of absolute disappointment, as she peered over at the desk in Fred’s office to see Archibald and Veronica sat there, talking amongst themselves. “You two should be in school!”

 

Just because it was hot enough that Alice was being seen in things that she didn’t normally acknowledge existed as clothing, such as t-shirts and shorts, did not mean that the juvenile delinquents that were sat in front of her were the exception to her feelings on the importance of education. The Lodge girl could probably recover from a day off from her studies, but not Archibald. Alice still remembered painful evenings while she tutored him in reading and allowed Betty to take the credit. Her hard work was not going to be in vain. 

 

“Why are  _ you _ here, anyways?” She demanded of Veronica, her eyes squinting in suspicion. “Shouldn’t you be helping your mother and father trample our town into the ground? Come to think of it, aren’t the  _ both _ of you Lodge supporters?” Alice let out a disappointed sniff. “Do either of you care to speak?”

 

“Alice, it’s good to see you,” a familiar voice interjected, and she whirled around in the direction that it came from, her eyes honing in on Fred, who did not seem either surprised to see the children, or disappointed in them for abandoning their studies in favor of spending time annoying her. “I told them they could skip school,” he said. “They want to help me win my campaign. I thought you’d appreciate it.”

 

“I beg your pardon?” 

 

“Well, that way you won’t be working on your own,” he elaborated. “There’s no shame in accepting help, Alice.”

 

Alice felt differently. 

 

She sighed. “All right, fine. They can...help me.” 

 

The things that Alice did for the potential of a town free of corruption. 

 

“I just don’t understand,” she said, as she sat down beside the teenagers, and took a soothing sip of her decaf coffee, feeling like she would end the day wishing for a glass of wine, which she knew she couldn’t have until the baby was safely out of her. “What has caused this change of heart, children?”

 

The glance that Veronica and Archie shot each other did not go unnoticed. 

 

Alice scowled. “Listen to me, you two,” she hissed. “I don’t care that your father thinks that you two suddenly being Team Fred isn’t at all suspicious. I am not at all amused by this sudden change of heart, and demand to know what brought this on.”   
  


She smiled beatifically at Fred, who waved them a goodbye, before he headed out of the trailer, whistling loudly. 

 

“Can’t I just support my father?” 

 

“Archibald, you have spent the past several months giving Hiram Lodge a most disturbing tongue bath,” she said, her tone flat. “Not to mention your erratic behavior as of late. The things that I have heard from Elizabeth and Jughead about what you have been up to? They do not make me happy.” 

 

Alice turned to Veronica. “As for you, darling, aren’t you afraid of what your parents will do with you when they find out that you’ve been fraternizing with Fred, and little old me? I hear they reacted badly when I sued them. It’s such a shame.” 

 

Alice didn’t find it a shame in the slightest. 

 

“My dad’s already cut me off,” she said. “I don’t see what the difference is in helping Fred or not.” 

 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Alice  _ was _ sorry to hear that Veronica’s parents behaved in a typically banal manner when it came to their only child daring to have opinions. Even she hadn’t disowned Margaret or Elizabeth when they’d had the gall to go against what they were taught. “I suppose that you have a point.” 

 

“I told Mr. Lodge that I was done with him, Mrs. Cooper,” Archie said, in his typical way of pretending that he was being helpful (but in reality sending chills down Alice’s spine), and she noticed that his gaze was at her legs, and not anywhere approaching meeting her eyes. “...you have a tattoo?” 

 

“I don’t see what that has  _ anything _ to do with the conversation at hand,” she said. “And you sound like a teenager breaking up with his girlfriend,” she added. “May I ask what precisely you were “done” with?”

 

“Just...things,” Archie settled on. “It’s okay, nothing to worry about.” 

 

“Right.” 

 

“I’m sure that Daddy is fine with Archiekins not being involved anymore,” Veronica chimed in. Alice glanced over at her. “What? He can be reasonable.”

 

“It appears we will have to agree to disagree.” 

 

Alice’s patience was rapidly waning, not that it really existed in the first place, and she settled down and got to work, dividing the needed tasks between the three of them. If she assigned herself and Veronica the hardest ones? What Archie didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and more importantly, Alice herself wouldn’t hurt him. 

 

It was worth it, she decided, when FP came into the trailer, clearly in need of a moment’s rest, and she abandoned the children to their own devices, and crossed the room to give her boyfriend a hug. 

 

“I’m not doing this again,” she told him, her voice low, and she admired how he looked in his undershirt, the t-shirt he’d worn out on the site tucked into his waistband. “I thought that I was going to be alone.”   
  


“So did I,” he admitted. “How are you feeling?” 

 

She shrugged. “It’s hot out,” she said. “I’m tired. Being around the children is taxing.”

 

He kissed her. “Want to go home?”

 

“No, I’m going to stay,” she decided. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So?” Alice’s tone was pointed, and FP felt her nails digging into the fleshy part of his arm. “What do you mean ‘so’? Your behavior as of late has been unacceptable. Colluding with people under Federal investigation? Allowing an idiot of a teenager to ‘make his bones’ because you’re still angry that your slut of a wife can’t keep it in her pants--”
> 
>  
> 
> “Alice, what’s going on here?”
> 
> FP cringed. He liked Fred, sure, but the man was perpetually incapable of reading a room, or a situation in general, and seemed unaware of the unfortunate climate that he’d wandered into. Which was par for the course with Fred. He had a history of meaning well but consistently making things go from bad to worse. 
> 
>  
> 
> “Nothing,” he assured him. “We were just leaving. I have a phone call with Jellybean.”

“Remind me again what we’re doing here?” Alice whispered in FP’s ear, the hum of her voice a rather nice distraction from the current situation. “This is a travesty,” she added. “A farce. We both know that Fred is going to make a fool’s ass out of himself at some point during the evening, and I have  _ no _ desire to see it happen.”   
  


“What could I say?” FP asked. “No, Fred, Alice and I won’t be at your stupid forum? Screw whatever you’re working for?” 

 

“He’s running for mayor out of pettiness,” she hissed. “Because Hiram ‘stole’ Hermione from him. Since when has Fred expressed an interest in city politics?” 

 

“I thought you wanted him to win?” 

 

“Because he’s the lesser of two evils,” she said. “I don’t want Hiram Lodge using his simpleton of a wife as a puppet. Fred at least isn’t a member of the Mafia--”

 

“Made deals with ‘em, though,” FP said, his tone quiet. “Paid off Serpent debts on their behalf.”   
  


“What are you talking about? Fred? How on earth did he have the money to pay off a Serpent debt?” 

 

FP scoffed. “Didn’t give money,” he said. “Came to me with a pity offer of employment. The boy had been desperate for me to go straight, so, whatever. I took it and told him that Hermione was square.” 

 

“I would have held out for money.”

 

“I just wanted to be done with it,” he admitted. “It’s not like I’m good for much else,” he said with a sigh. “Construction’s really all I know how to do.” 

 

“You don’t have to work there forever,” Alice said softly. He felt her squeeze his hand. “If you want, when the baby’s born, you can stay at home with him or her. I would really like it if you did.” 

 

“Yeah? You’d be okay with that?”

 

She nodded. “I’d rather know the baby’s with you and safe than have you breaking rocks every day on...questionable projects.” 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

FP followed Alice’s gaze to where Fred stood with the Lodges, and he furrowed his brow. He did not understand what Fred saw in either Hermione or Hiram, and the fact that Alice seemed to be telling the truth about Fred running for mayor out of spite, and not because he actually cared deeply about the town made FP wonder about the other choices that Fred had made over the course of the years. 

 

“I just mean that I think his involvement in the Sodale project is...worthy of investigation,” she said after a moment. “He claimed that he thought Lodge Industries was going straight, that they were becoming a legitimate company, but he’s either gullible or complicit, and I’m not sure where on that line he falls.” She sighed, and she tightened the grip on his hand.

 

“What are you thinking of, babe?”

 

“Must we stand so close to Fred if he’s going to stand so close to Hiram and Hermione?” Alice asked him through gritted teeth. “One of them is wearing the most hideous cologne. The baby doesn’t like it, and it’s making me nauseated.”

 

“I’m sorry, babe,” FP whispered, and he pressed a kiss to her temple as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He idly massaged her abdomen, and hoped it relieved at least some of her discomfort. “What would make you feel better?” 

 

“Throwing up on Hiram,” she said, her lips turning up in a smirk. “Is that so wrong?”

 

“He’d probably ask questions, babe,” he pointed out, his hands still massaging her abdomen, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Is that really what you want?”

 

Alice smelled of strawberries, the result of her use of products that cost her more money than he’d ever dreamt of spending on things like body wash. (He used soap.) And shampoo and conditioner. (He used whatever 2 in 1 was cheapest at the dollar store.) The cream that she’d been religiously having him apply to her breasts and abdomen only enhanced her scent.

 

She’d informed him that the cream was to eliminate stretch marks, but FP hadn’t required an explanation. He loved the degree of intimacy that she was allowing him.

 

He hadn’t expected that when Alice had told him about the baby that was on the way. He’d promised to be all in (of course) and had been determined to be there for Alice and the little one that was on the way, but there had been a natural hesitance on their parts. Jughead had been in the hospital recovering from his injuries, and Alice’s husband had been revealed to be the serial killer who had terrorized the whole town.

 

Plus, there had been the baby to consider. They’d spent the weeks between Riot Night and Alice’s first proper doctor’s appointment in a state of hopeful disbelief. The baby had existed as a concept, of course, but seeing their baby on that screen for the second time had stirred something in him. He’d loved Jughead and Jellybean, of course. But he’d been younger. Stupider. A drunk. He’d loved them, but he’d never loved their mother. This time, he vowed, would be different.

 

Even if it meant attending events with her that he’d much rather not.

 

Hiram slinked over to them.

 

“Alice,” he said, in what even FP could tell was a tone that was meant to be condescending. “Hermione and I have received correspondence from your lawyer. It appears that you’re really suing us for Hal’s half of the paper back?”

 

“I am,” she said, her tone clipped. “Of course, you understand, right? I have to provide for my family.”

 

“And does your family include associating with known criminals?” 

 

“Given my twenty five years of being married to a serial killer? I appreciate your judgment cloaked as concern, Hiram, but I am not ashamed of my past. I am not ashamed of my boyfriend. I am not ashamed of my children, nor of his, or of the fact that we are members of the Southside Serpents. I’m not ashamed of any of it.” She crossed her arms. “You want to know what I am ashamed of? My family’s association with the two of you. It’s bad enough that Veronica is friends with Elizabeth. That I can handle. I refuse to be a part of your attempts to rule this town by brute force.”   
  
Hiram blinked. FP smirked. 

 

“You heard the lady,” he said. “I believe that’s fancy Northsider talk for back the fuck off,” he told him. “Come on, babe. Why don’t we take a breather?” 

 

Lodge looked as if he had been sucking on a lemon.

 

“The two of you? You’re actually together?” He scoffed. “This is high school all over again.”

 

“Going to prey on some underprivileged girl and ruin her life again, Hiram? I mean, if you’re going to suggest this is high school all over again…” 

 

“Hermione chose to be with me. She chose me over Fred. You don’t even like Fred!”

 

“I certainly prefer him to you,” Alice said. “I may find him to be beneath me, but at least he’s not a member of the Mafia. At least he’s not bringing the teenagers of this town into that twisted world. I know what you’ve been up to, Hiram. And I won’t stand for it.”

 

Hiram scoffed. “Are you talking about Archie? He knew what he was getting into.”

 

“Archibald was terrified by what happened to his father,” Alice corrected. “He was floundering. Seeking guidance from any source. And he foolishly came to you for it.”

 

“So?”

 

“So?” Alice’s tone was pointed, and FP felt her nails digging into the fleshy part of his arm. “What do you mean ‘so’? Your behavior as of late has been unacceptable. Colluding with people under Federal investigation? Allowing an idiot of a teenager to ‘make his bones’ because you’re still angry that your  _ slut _ of a wife can’t keep it in her pants--”

 

“Alice, what’s going on here?”   
  


FP cringed. He liked Fred, sure, but the man was perpetually incapable of reading a room, or a situation in general, and seemed unaware of the unfortunate climate that he’d wandered into. Which was par for the course with Fred. He had a history of meaning well but consistently making things go from bad to worse. 

 

“Nothing,” he assured him. “We were just leaving. I have a phone call with Jellybean.” 

 

Fred beamed. “I always liked her,” he said. “You two go and have a good time.”

* * *

  
  


“You lied to Fred,” Alice said, once they had gotten out to the truck, and she had settled down in the passenger’s seat.”You don’t really have a phone call with Jellybean. Do you?”   
  


“No,” he said, his tone short. “And that bastard didn’t always like her.” 

 

“What are you talking about?” 

 

“If Freddy had always liked Jellybean, why the fuck did the bastard fire me when I was just fucking trying to make ends meet when she was fucking damned early and was in the fucking NICU for goddamned nine months? Do you think that bullshit insurance that Fred’d cheaped out on covered that? You think we had a damn angel donor?” FP shook his head. “I did what I needed to do for my daughter, for my family. And, Al, I always will do whatever I need to do for my family. For our family.”

 

“I know you will, Jonesy,” she assured him. “I know.”

 

“I would work for him every day of my life if that meant a good life for the kids,” he said. “You said I didn’t have to, but, dammit, Alice, I would.” 

 

“I know, Jonesy.”

 

Alice gave him a kiss on the cheek and she shifted so that he could rest his hand on her belly. She was pleased when he did, and she leaned back against the seat, her nausea mostly abated. FP’s hand was warm against the material of her blouse.

 

“Want to head home?” He started the truck. “I know you weren’t feeling well earlier.” 

 

“I want an orange freeze,” she admitted, and she felt herself flush. “And onion rings. The baby wants them. It’s making me crave things I shouldn’t be eating.”

 

Alice watched as FP’s demeanor brightened, and she knew that admitting to having cravings was the right thing to have done. Her changing body was mortifying her, yes, but she had noticed the positive affects that her pregnancy had had on FP. She liked that.

 

“That’s because that baby’s half Jones, babe,” he said, his hand pressed firmly to her abdomen. “You know we like to eat.” She smiled as he caressed her little pooch, which had seemed to appear overnight. “We’ll go to Pops, and we’ll get whatever makes you happy.” He kissed her softly. “And don’t worry about what you think you should or shouldn’t be eating. Hal’s gone. He can’t control your life anymore.”   
  


“You’re going to have to take a blood test,” she said, and she sighed. “To prove that my serial killer of a husband didn’t conceive our child.”

 

“I don’t care about that. I’ll do whatever it take to make sure you’re safe. To make sure our son or daughter is safe.”   
  
“I know, Jonesy. I just--I don’t want to see him.” She sighed. “I don’t want to deal with a trial. And I don’t want to have to prove that this baby is yours and not Hal’s. If it wasn’t, FP, it wouldn’t exist. I don’t care how much of a sin it would be.” 

 

“I wouldn’t care if the baby was Hal’s--”   
  


“It’s bad enough that my already existent daughters are tied to him,” she said after a moment. “I know that you wouldn’t care and I love you for that, but I couldn’t saddle a third child with being Harold’s it would be cruel.”   
  


“I know. And I’ll be there for you, every step of the way. Because I love you, Alice. You’ll never be alone again, not while I’m around.”


End file.
